alleys

noun

plural of alley
as in streets
a narrow passage between buildings One can spend days exploring all the alleys and backstreets of the old city.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of alleys For the most organic blend of ancient and modern Bangkok, explore the nearby waterfront district Talat Noi (Small Market), where alleys lead to passageways that are often only shoulder width. — Tony Perrottet, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 After a tour past mannequins in their likenesses, Manolo Blahnik slippers and mood boards, the party moved to the Versailles Orangerie, where Cartier grooms lined the alleys leading to the grandiose gallery. — Lily Templeton, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026 Deep inside the labyrinthine alleys of Acre’s Old City – home to a 700-year-old Crusader fortress – Muhammad Hani could not order a takeaway pizza. — Mustafa Qadri, CNN Money, 20 Sep. 2026 The committee recommended legislation directing Kruschke to hire contractors to speed up the replacement of concrete panels on local roads and maintenance of alleys. — Alison Dirr, jsonline.com, 20 Sep. 2026 The Ultimate Digital Leash No noir detective story is complete without a session of tailing the suspect through the gritty streets and alleys. — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 10 Sep. 2026 Last month, when video of a runaway piglet tearing down Hayworth Avenue and through the alleys near Canter’s Deli hit social media, the internet went nuts. — Benjamin Svetkey, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026 Later, his father and uncle would initiate him into the masculine play worlds of Albany’s bars, poolrooms, and bowling alleys. — Cynthia Zarin, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026 Residents are asked to bring their debris from alleys to the street for pickup. — Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for alleys
  1. streets
  2. roads
  3. highways
Noun
  • Police intervene at the scene using tear gas as students take to the streets to protest education conditions in Nancy, France, on October 7, 2026.
    — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The construction bottleneck often extends traffic three or four blocks back on streets north of Front Street, like 9th, 11th and 13th, Atchley said.
    — Rachel Roberts, Idaho Statesman, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of streets
Noun
  • As the hundreds of thousands of people made their way down the narrow roads following the politician, a few rerouted into the industry event, still carrying big flags and with faces lit up with hope.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 7 Oct. 2026
  • The landscape was inspired by the inland town of Ioulida, a hilltop village with cascading residential dwellings and winding paths (no car-worthy roads), and a church perched at the precipice.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of roads
Noun
  • In Chile in 2024, several hundred demonstrators burned tires and blocked coastal highways and railway tracks to protest the early closure of the fishing season, a move partly driven by overfishing tied to fishmeal.
    — Ian Urbina, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The red dye also allows a road inspector to detect whether a trucker is evading taxes by using the fuel on highways.
    — Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of highways

Browse Nearby Words

alley cats
alleys
alleyway
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Cite this Entry

“Alleys.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/alleys. Accessed 10 Oct. 2026.

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